Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says it is hard to imagine Formula One existing without Bernie Ecclestone.

The Formula One Group boss had played a major role in running the sport for the last four decades. But his future in the role is in doubt as he faces charges of bribing a German banker during the sale of Formula One to CVC Capital partners seven years ago.

“Bernie is a unique individual who has run Formula One tremendously successfully for the last 40 or 45 years,” Horner told The Telegraph. “The business, as it is today, is because of the way he has run it and operated it. It is unimaginable for him not to be there.”

Horner is one of several people who has been tipped as a potential successor to Ecclestone, though he has played down the claims.

He said it was “very difficult for us to judge” how serious the threat to Ecclestone’s position is. But he is in no doubt Ecclestone remains the best person for the job:

“So long as Bernie is able to run the business, then he is absolutely the right guy to be running it. It’s as simple as that. And he has the full backing of the shareholders of Formula One.”